Scientists have made a significant discovery by finding a woman’s DNA preserved in a 20,000-year-old deer-tooth pendant. The artifact, unearthed in 2019 in the Altai Mountains of Siberia, underwent analysis by a German research team that employed cutting-edge techniques to extract and study ancient DNA.
Geneticist Elena Essel, a team member at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, expressed excitement, stating, “This was exactly what we were hoping for.” The team had anticipated finding traces of DNA from the individual who handled or wore the pendant, a wish that came true.
The pendant, recovered from the Denisova cave, an archaeological treasure trove for insights into early humans in Eurasia, presented a unique opportunity. The cave’s cool and dry environment facilitated the preservation of DNA from ancient Denisovans, Neanderthals, and humans spanning over 40,000 years.
The pendant, created from a wapiti deer’s canine tooth, displayed a drilled hole, suggesting it was intended to be worn. However, the exact method of wear remains uncertain. Essel speculated on possibilities, such as wearing it as a necklace or as part of a larger ensemble.
The team’s innovative DNA extraction technique, likened to a washing machine by Essel, enabled the retrieval of a comprehensive set of DNA sequences from the artifact. The extracted DNA provided valuable insights, including the wearer’s gender and placement in the human family tree.
The preserved DNA allowed for genetic dating of the pendant to an estimated age of 19,000 to 25,000 years, revealing the wearer’s closeness to a population in Northern Eurasia during that era. The team’s ability to determine the wearer’s gender was a thrilling moment akin to a gender reveal, marking a significant milestone in archaeological DNA research.
Essel highlighted the study’s potential for future endeavors, aiming to extract DNA from various archaeological artifacts made of teeth, ivory, bone, or antler, which could harbor similar DNA preservation capabilities.